Towel unwinding and folding machine



Nov. 13, 1951 P. w. JESPERSEN TOWEL UNWINDING AND FOLDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 30 1950 iliiiiil Nov. 13, 1951 P. w. JESPERSEN 2,574,642

' TOWEL UNWINDING AND FOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 50, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 2 M 5 6 jaw P. W. JESPERSEN TOWEL UNWINDING AND FOLDING MACHINE Nov. 13, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 30 1950 Patented Nov. 13,1951

TOWEL UNWINDING AND FOLDING MACHINE Paul W. Jespersen, Wilmette, Ill., assignor to American Linen Supply 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Nevada Application September 30, 1950, Serial No. 187,766

12 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to automatic towel folding machines and more particularly to a novel continuous roll container adapted to be utilized in an automatic towel unwinding and folding machine of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 148,777, filed March 10, 1950.

The machines of the type noted above are utilized by large commercial laundries and linen supply companies in order to prepare soiled toweling of the continuous roll type for a laundering operation by unwinding the soiled toweling from the roll and folding it into zigzag layers of convenient lengths. Thereafter the folded layers of toweling are gathered together transversely to the length thereof and loosely tied together at one or more points, in order to form a relatively loose bundle which may then be deposited into a washing machine.

In the unwinding and folding machine disclosed in the above mentioned copending application a soiled roll of approximately fifty yards of toweling is placed into a V-shaped open top supporting trough or container, and the outer web of the toweling is unwound from the roll and fed into the machine in such a manner that the outer web, as it is drawn from the roll, passes directly across the open top of the V-shaped trough. With this arrangement the web of the toweling, as it is drawn across the open top of the trough, functions as a cover therefor and thereby prevents the roll from being inadvertently yanked, pulled or bounced out of the trough during the relatively high speed unwinding operation.

While this method of supporting and unwinding a continuous roll of the toweling is quite satisfactory for the average soiled roll, it has been found. that certain rolls such as those returned from packing houses, garages, manufacturing plants, etc. are so extremely soiled withgrease. fat, blood, oil and other foreign matter deposited thereon that adjacent layers of the rolled towe1- ing are frequently stuck together as the foreign matter dries and, consequently, will not unwind properly as the web of the toweling is withdrawn from the roll.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to'provide in a roll towel unwinding and folding machine an im roved roll towel supporting mechanism which isarran ed to automatically rotate the roll of toweling'inthe unwinding direction. in the event stuck-together adjacent layers-of the toweling are encountered as the outer web thereof is withdrawn by the unwindin mechanism in order to se arate the layers which are stuck together by pulling them apart.

It is a further objectof the invention to provide in a machine of the-type noted animprovedmechanism for positively retaining the roll of soiled toweling in a supportin mech anismv as the outer wehof the roll is withdrawn therefrom- In the unwinding and folding mechanism.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide in a machine of the type noted a novel driving mechanism for positively rotating the soiled roll of toweling in an unwinding direction whenever the roll is pulled from its normal position in the supporting mechanism into engagement with the driving mechanism.

Further objects and features of the invention pertain to the particular structural arrangement of the improved roll towel supporting mechanism for a towel unwinding and folding machine whereby the above outlined objects and additional operating features are attained.

The present invention, both as to the organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a partial frontelevation of the improved roll towel supporting mechanism, and illustrates the manner in which the mechanism is supported upon the structure of a towel unwinding and folding machine of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned copending application;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 3 and illustrates the details of the towel supporting container and thedriving mechanism therefor;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 with certain parts thereof omitted in order more clearly to illustrate the structural details of the mechanism;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3 of the driven roller and the support therefor provided in the housing of the towel supporting mechanism, and illustrates the manner in which the tension of the fiat belt for rotating the roll of toweling may be adjusted; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of Fig. 4 and illustrates the structural details of the towel unwinding roller and the fiat belt adjusting arrangement.

Referring now to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the supporting frame structure for the towel unwinding and folding machine comprises a pair of spaced apart channel members 2Ia, 211) and a channel brace 22 secured therebetween. Each of the channel members 21a and 2H) extend downwardly and outwardly below the brace 22 in order to provide two spaced-apart supporting legs for the machine which may be anchored to the floor in any desired manner. Further details of the supporting structure, noted above, and the details of the unwinding and folding mechanism 24, supported between the channel members Ziaand 2 lb, are disclosed and described in the abovementioned copending application. However, in order to fully understand the improved towel supporting mechanism, a brief description will first-be given of the unwinding and folding mechanism 24 to whichtheimproved towel supporting mechanism is secured.

The mechanism 24 includes left and right side plates 25a and 25b, which are respectively the front and rear plates of the mechanism, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. As is best illustrated in Fig. 3 the right side plate 26b is secured to the right channel member 2 lb and, as is best illustrated in Fig. 1, the opposite end of plate 261) is also secured to the left channel member Zia. Except for the bottom portion of the folding mechanism 24 and the sloping surface thereof shown in the upper right hand portion of Fig, 1, the housing including the side plates 26a and 26b is entirely enclosed. The mechanism 24 also includes a driven roller 21 which is rotatably supported between the respective side plates 26a and 26b. One end of the shaft for the driven roller 21 extends through the side plate 261) as is best illustrated in Fig. 3, and supports a large motor driven belt pulley 28 and a somewhat smaller oscillator drive belt pulley 29. These pulleys are rigidly secured to the shaft of the roller 21. In addition to the foregoing, the end of the roller 21, which is located adjacent to the right side plate 261), is provided with a V-shaped trough 21a to form a pulley for supporting the belt for driving the towel unwinding rollers mounted in the roll supporting mechanism as will be described hereinafter.

In view of the above description of the driven roller 21 and the arrangement for rotatably supporting the same between the side plates 26a and 251), it will be understood that the roller 21 and the pulleys 28 and 29 will rotate at the same speed during the operation of the mechanism.

A pressure roller 30 is rotatably mounted parallel to and adjacent to the driven roller 21 on oppositely disposed pivoted supporting brackets 31a and 31b. These brackets are pivotally mounted on the plates 26a and 26b so that the roller 30 may be moved away from the driven roller 21 but the brackets 31a and 311) are tensioned so that the pressure roller 39 normally presses against the driven roller 21. During the operation of the mechanism the outer Web of the toweling, which is being unwound from the soiled roll 53, is clamped between the adjacent surfaces of the driven roller 21 and the pressure roller 39. With this arrangement the driven roller functions to pull the outer web of toweling from the roll.

The unwinding and folding mechanism 24 also includes an oscillating mechanism for simultaneously oscillating the spreader plates 32a and 32b, as is best illustrated in Fig. 2. The above noted spreader plates are independently mounted at their upper ends for simultaneous pivotal movement under control of a pair of spaced apart links 3311 and 33b, a common yoke member 34 and a driven mechanism therefor, which includes a pulley 35, a pair of cooperating gears 36 and 31, a crank shaft 38 and a crank 39. The detailed structural arrangement of the oscillated drive mechanism is also fully described in the above noted copending application.

A motor 49 is secured to the top portion of the mechanism 24 for driving the various parts of the unwinding and folding mechanism 24. More specifically, the motor 48 is provided with a drive pulley 4| which is coupled to the previously noted large motor drive pulley 28, secured to the shaft of the driven roller 21, by means of a V-shaped drive belt 42. In addition to the foregoing, a V-shaped belt 43 is provided for coupling the previously noted small oscillator belt pulley 29, which is also secured to the shaft of the driven roller 21, and the pulley 35.

In view of the above description it will be un derstood that the motor 40 will rotate the driven motor 21 by means of the belt 42, and it will also rotate the pulley 35 by means of the belts 42 and 43. A small gear 35 is rigidly secured to the mounting shaft for the pulley 35, so that the rotation of the pulley 35 will also be transmitted by the gear 36 to the larger cooperating gear 31. At this point it should be noted that the cooperating gear 31 is secured to one end of the previously noted crankshaft 38, and that the crank 39 is secured to the opposite end of the crankshaft 38. Consequently the rotary movement of the gear 31 causes the crank 39 to rotate about the axis of the crankshaft 38. Since the common yoke 34 is rotatably secured to the extended end of the crank 39, as is best illustrated in Fig. 2, it will oscillate back and forth with a piston-like movement in order to control the oscillating movement of the spreader plates 32a and 32b. The opposite ends of the yoke 34 are pivotally secured to the mid-points of each of the spacedapart links 33a and 33b, and the opposite ends of each of the links 33a and 33b are respectively pivotally secured to the spreader plates 32a and 32b. Therefore, as the crank 39 revolves under control of the crank shaft 38, the yoke 34 causes the spreader plates 32a and 32b to oscillate between two oppositely disposed predetermined positions on their upper pivoted mounting supports. As the web of the toweling is pulled by the driven roller 31 and dropped upon a work surface it passes between the spreader plates 32a and 32b bolts 5|.

and, due to the oscillatory movement of the spreader plates, the web of toweling is directed so that it automatically falls in folded layers approximately three feet in length upon a suitable Work surface.

A description will now be given of the structural details of the continuous roll towel supporting mechanism which is secured to the right side of the unwinding and folding mechanism 24 as seen in Fig. 1. This mechanism includes a pair of side plates 50a and 591), as is best illustrated in Fig. 3, which are secured respectively to the previously noted side plates 26a and 26b of the folding mechanism 24 by a plurality of A roll supporting bottom cover 52 extends between and is secured to the side plates 50a and 501). This bottom cover is formed so that it is curved along a radius that conforms substantially to the radius of a full roll of soiled toweling 53. A top cover 54 is also provided which extends between and is secured to the side plates 50a and 50b. The last-mentioned cover is formed so that it is curved downwardly at its right edge, as is seen in Fig. 2, and abuts against the upper edge of the bottom cover 52. The upper surface of the top cover 43 is also curved downwardly at its left edge between the side plates 50a and 50b to form both a protecting guard which overhangs a pair of rotatable towel unwinding rollers 63 and 64 and a guide for directing a roll of toweling, deposited into the open top of the mechanism, into engagement with the gate 56 in the manner to be described hereinafter.

A gate assembly is provided in the bottom portion of the towel supporting mechanism which includes a gate mounting bracket 55, a gate member 56, including the portions 56a, 56b, 56c and 56d, and a pair of stiffening brackets 51a and 5119. At the outset it should be noted that the gate mounting bracket 55 of this assembly is pivotally secured at opposite ends on a pair of pivot Mamie pins 60a andtflb, carried by the-respectlveside plates 50a and 50b. The gate 56 is secured to the gate mounting bracket55, as "-is best illustrated in Figs. v2 and 3, by means of screws or the like to providea substantially rigidgate for the pivotally mounted gate assembly. A lip 56a is formed at one edge o'fthe gate 56-so that it will engage the left free-end ---of the bottom cover 52. In order to retain the gate assembly tensioned in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot pins 60a and 66b, as is illustratedin Fig. 2, a pair of coil springs cm and "6th are provided which are secured at 'opposite endS to the --gate mounting 55 and to the combination wall panel and towel guide member '6 I. 'In-passing-it should be noted that the towel guide member 6 I extends between the side plates 2 6a-and-26bandis-secured thereto between the side plates 5110a and 501) by means of the previously noted bolts '51. vApair of bars file and 61d aresecured to the panel 6| adjacent to the lower edge thereof to guide the roll-of toweling 53 :during the tilting movement of 'the gate .56. The upperportion of the combined wall panel and combined wall :guide .panel 6| curved to the left, .as .isshown in .Fig. 2, to overhang at least a portion .of the driven roller 21 and it is arranged so that :the web .='.of the toweling .53 will "be .directed over a portionof the surface of theroller 21 during the :unwinding operation of the mechanism.

Referring again to the gate'assembly, itwvill be seen that it may be rotated :ina clockwise direction about the pivot pins 601:. and 66b, as is illustrated in Fig. '2, to a position that will align .the upper surface 561) of the tgatei56 with the 'upper surface of the bottom cover '52. In order to limit the clockwise rotation of the gate assembly to the position noted above, a pairo'f stop members 62a and 62b are respectively provided :in the side plates 56a and 50b, as is 'best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. These stop members are positioned on the above noted side plates so that the under surface of the gate 56, at a point substantially adjacent to :the free end of :the gate mounting bracket :55, will engage the stop pins when the gate assemblyis rotated in :aclockW-ise direction to a point where the top surface "56b of the gate 56 isin substantialalignment with the upper left hand edge of the bottom -co'ver :52.

In addition to the foregoing, the continuous roll towel supportingmechanism is providedw ith a pair of towel unwinding rollers 63 and 64, and a continuous flat belt 65. Referring now to the roller 63, it will be :seen that the shaft 63a therefor is-mounted at opposite ends in the-roller bearing caps 66a and fifibcsecured respectively to the side plates 50a. and 5th. The upperend of the shaft Sta, as is seen in Fig. 3, extends through the side plate 501) and rigidly supports a dr ive pulley 61. Since the roller 63 and the pulley t l are rigidly secured to the shaft 63a they freely rotate as a unit in the bearing mountings 66a and 66b. V I

Referring now to the roller 64 it will be seen, by reference-toF-igshB, 4 and .5, thatthis roller is adiustabl-y mounted so that-the distance "between the surfaces oftherollers- 664mm may be varied. At the outset it should be noted that the roller 64 is mounted on a shaft 54a which, at the opposite ends thereof, is-mounted "inpthe roller bearings 68a and 58b. Dhe roller bearings 68a and 58b are, in turn, secured :to the adjustable bearing caps 69a and 6%. Referring now particularly to Figs. 4 and 55 it will' be .seen

that the :upper end at :the bearing cap flaxisise cured'to theside plate 50a by means of the "bolt 10a. -At its lower end the bearing cap 69a is securedto a belt tightening swivel "Ha by means of a plurality of lock nuts 12. In order to permit the lower portion of the bearing cap 69a to be rotatedabout a pivot point formed by the bolt 16a, a-cooperating cut-out 13a is provided in the wall of the-side plate 59a. The adjustment of the position of the bearing cap 69a is controlled by means of the belt tightening bolt Ma and the lock -n-ut 15a. In this connection it should be noted that the belt tightening bolt 14a is inserted through a lug 16a formed in the side plate 50a and threaded throughcooperating threads provided in the belt tightening swivel Na, and is locked in place by the lock nut 15a. In order to adjust the position of the roller 64 the lock nut 15a may first be loosened and thereafter the bolt 14a is turned in either direction. After the roller 64 has'been adjusted'to take up any slack in the flat belt 65 encircling the roller '63 and the roller 64, the lock nut 15a may be tightened. Although the description .of the adjustable arrangement for the roller 64 has been limited :to the left end thereof, by reference to the enlarged views of Fig. 4 and 'Fig. 5, it will be appreciated that a corresponding adjusting arrangement is also provided at the opposite end of the roller 64.

Referring again to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the shaft 63a for the roller 63 is provided with a drive pulley -61, and that the latter pulley is coupled to the driven roller 2! of the towel unwinding and folding mechanism 24 by means of V-shaped belt '11.. In order to protect the operator of the machine, a guard cover 18 is secured to the side plate 581) to cover the exposed pulley 6'! and belt 11 located adjacent to the outer surface of the side plate 502).

When the motor 46 of the machine is placed in operation it rotates the driven roller 21 in a counter-clockwise direction (Figs. 1 and 2) by means of the V-shaped belt 42. The driven roller 21, by means of the V-shaped belt 11, causes the roller 63 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction. Since the roller 63 and the roller 64 are coupled by the continuous flat belt 65, the roller 64 is also rotated in a counter-clockwise direction. In addition to the foregoing, the driven roller 21 is coupled to the pulley 35 by means of the V-shaped belt 63, and thereby causes the pulley to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction. Since the pulley 35 is rigidly supported upon the same shaft with the gear 36, the gear 36 also rotates in a counter-clockwise direction and causes the cooperating gear 31 to control theoscillations of the spreader plates 32a and 32b in the manner previously described.

With the motor 4!! driving the various parts of the mechanism in the manner described above, the machine is in condition to receive a roll of soiled toweling and to unwind and fold the same into predetermined flat layers. When the operator inserts a roll of soiled toweling 53 through the opening provided in the top of the machine it may be dropped or placed in the V-shaped trough formed by the surfaces 56b and 560 in the gate 55.

In depositing the soiled toweling 53 into the opening in the machine the operator must also hold the leading edge of the outer web of the toweling and insert the same between the adjacent surfaces of the driven roller 21 and the pressure roller 30, so that the outer web of the toweling will be pulled from the roll 53 in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

As soon as the weight of the roll of toweling 53 is placed upon the V-shaped trough of the gate 56 the tension of the springs Ma and Bib will be sufficiently overcome to permit the gate assembly, including the gate mounting 55 and the gate 56, to rotate in a clockwise direction about the pivot pins 60a and 66b. The clockwise rotation of the gate assembly will be terminated as soon as the gate assembly engages the stop pins 62a and 62b. When this occurs the surface 561) of the gate 55 will be in alignment with the upper surface of the roll supporting bottom cover 52. Due to the inclined plane of the two surfaces, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, the roll 53 will roll from the surface 561) on the gate 53 to the roll supporting bottom cover 52. As soon as the weight of the roll 53 leaves the surface 561) of the gate 55, the springs 6Ia and 6lb will immediately restore the gate 56 to the closed position, illustrated by the full lines thereof in Fig. 2. It may be well to mention at this time, however, that as the gate 56 is tilted by the weight of the roll 53 a peripheral portion of the surface of the roll 53 may engage the lower portion of the moving continuous flat belt 65. Since the belt 65 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction it will act upon the periphery of the roll 53 to rotate the same in a clockwise direction and it will also drive the gate assembly to the open position so that the roll 53 will assume the position illustrated by the full lines in Fig. 2.

At this time the outer web of the roll 53 will be pulled from the roll over the surface 56d on the gate 56, which functions to smooth out wrinkles in the toweling, and then over the upper surface of the combination roll panel and towel guide member 6! and then downwardly between the driven roller 21 and the pressure roller 30. As the web of the roll toweling falls between the oscillating spread-er plates 32a and 32b it will be directed so that it automatically falls in folded layers upon a suitable work surface (not shown). It should be noted, however, that the driven roller 21 and the pressure roller 30 cooperate, so that the web of toweling is pulled from the roll 53.

During the unwinding operation described above, the gate assembly will normally retain the roll 53 in the position illustrated. However, if adjacent layers of the toweling are stuck together by dried grease, dirt, blood, etc, the pull of driven roller N on the outer web of the toweling may cause the roll to be pulled up the inclined surface 56d of the gate 56. However, as soon as the roll 53 is pulled up the inclined surface 56d sufficiently to cause the upper peripheral surface of the roll to engage the lower surface of the rotating continuous fiat belt 65, the counter-clock- Wise rotation of the belt 65 will cause the roll 53 to be rotated in a clockwise direction, The joint action of the pulling of the web of the roll 53 by the driven roller 2! and the clockwise rotation of the roll 53 by the belt 55 will pull the outer web of the roll away from the next layer thereof in order to break apart the stuck together layers and will also cause the roll 53 to again assume its normal position upon the bottom cover 52, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

If, during the above described unwinding operation, the roll 53 is diminished in size sufficiently to permit the same to be pulled up the inclined surface 55b a considerable distance, the gate 56, due to the inclined surface 55d, will direct the upper peripheral surface of the roll 53 in engagement with the moving continuous fiat belt 65, and thereby cause the roll to be rotated in the manner previously explained. Accordingly, the unwinding of the web of toweling from the roll 53 will normally be accomplished by the sole action of the driven roller 21 pulling upon the outer web of the roll but whenever the roll is pulled up the surface 56d of the gate and engages the belt 65, the unwinding operation will be accomplished by the joint action of the driven roller 27 pulling upon the outer web of the roll and the belt rotating the roll 53.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein which are within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for unwinding a roll of textile material, a roll support for loosely supporting a roll of textilematerial, a driven roller, means including said driven roller for unwinding said material from said roll by pulling upon the outer web thereof, and additional means for automatically rotating said roll in the event said roll is dislodged from its resting position on said roll support by said unwinding means.

2. In a machine for unwinding a roll of textile material, a roll support for loosely supporting a roll of textile material, a driven roller, means including said driven roller for unwinding said material from said roll by pulling upon the outer web thereof, and additional means for automatically restoring said roll to said roll support in the event it is pulled away therefrom by said unwinding means.

3. In a machine for unwinding a roll of textile material, a roll support for loosely supporting a roll of textile material, a driven roller, means including said driven roller for unwinding said material from said roll by pulling upon the outer Web thereof, a moving belt, and means included in the path over which the web of said material is pulled from said roll for directing said roll into engagement with said movingbelt in the event the outer web of said material fails to unwind from said roll, whereby said moving belt rotates said roll in a direction to impart rotary motion to said roll in said unwinding direction.

4. In a machine for unwinding a roll of textile material, a roll support for loosely supporting a roll of textile material, a driven roller, means including said driven roller for unwinding the said material from said roll by pulling upon the outer web thereof, thereby to rotate said roll on said roll support in a predetermined direction, a moving belt, and means positioned in the path over which the outer web of said material is pulled from said roll for directing a portion of the outer surface of said roll into engagement with said moving belt in the event the outer web of said material fails to unwind from said roll and said roll is thereby dislodged from said roll support in order to-drive said roll in said predetermined rotary direction and to restore said roll to saidv roll support.

5. In a machine for unwinding a roll of textile material, a roll support for loosely supporting a moving belt in the event the outer web of said material fails to unwind from said roll and said roll is thereby dislodged from its loosely supported position on said roll support and pulled up said inclined surface, whereby said moving belt rotates said roll in said predetermined direction in order to restore said roll to said roll support.

6. In a machine for unwinding a roll of textile material, a gate member including a roll receiving trough biased to a first position and movable to a second position, a roll support, a roll receiving opening in said machine through which a roll of textile material is inserted and placed upon said trough of said gate member, the weight of said roll upon said trough actuating said gate member from its first position to its second position so that said roll is transferred from trough to said roll support, and means for unwinding said material from said roll by pulling upon the outer web thereof.

'7. In a machine for unwinding a roll of textile material, a gate member including a roll receiving trough biased to a first position and movable to a second position, a roll support, a roll receiving opening in said machine through which a roll of textile material is inserted and placed upon said trough of said gate member, said gate member being moved from its first position to its second position against said bias in response to the placement of said roll upon said trough, said roll being dislodged from said trough and deposited upon said roll support in the second position of said gate member, said gate member thereafter returning to its first position in order to restrain accidental displacement of said roll from said roll support, and means for unwind said material from said roll by pulling upon the outer web thereof.

8. In a machine for unwinding a roll of textile material, a gate member including a roll receiving trough portion and a web smoothing surface, said gate being biased to a first position and movable to a second position, a roll support, a roll receiving opening in said machine through which a roll of textile material is inserted and placed upon the trough portion of said gate member, the weight of said roll being such that said gate is moved from its first to its second position against said bias, said roll being rolled from the trough portion of said gate member to said roll support in the second position of said gate so that said gate returns to its first position, and means for rotating said roll on said roll support by pulling the outer web of the material from said roll over said web smoothing surface of said gate member.

9. In a machine for unwinding a roll of textile material, a gate member including a roll receiving trough biased to a first position and movable to a second position, a roll support, a roll receiving opening in said machine through which a roll of textile material is inserted and placed upon said trough of said gate member, said gate member being moved from its first position to its second position against said bias in response to the placement of said roll upon said trough, said roll being dislodged from said trough and deposited upon said roll support in the second position of said gate member, said gate member thereafter returning to its first position in order to restrain accidental displacement of said roll from said roll support, and means for unwinding said material from said roll by pulling the outer web thereof over said gate member in order to prevent the placement of another roll upon said trough.

10. In a machine for unwinding a roll of textile material, a gate member including a roll receiving trough biased to a first position and movable to a second position, a roll support, a roll receiving opening in said machine through which a roll of textile material is inserted and placed upon said trough of said gate member, the weight of said roll upon said trough actuating said gate member from its first position to its second position so that said roll is transferred from trough to said roll support, a driven roller, means including said driven roller for unwinding said material from said roll by pulling upon the outer web thereof, and additional means for automatically unwinding said roll in the event said roll is pulled from roll support by said unwinding means.

11. In a machine for unwinding a roll of textile material, a gate member including a roll receiving trough biased to a first position and movable to a second position, a roll support, a roll receiving opening in said machine through which a roll of textile material is inserted and placed upon said trough of said gate member, said gate member being moved from its first position to its second position against said bias in response to the placement of said roll upon said trough, said roll being dislodged from said trough and deposited upon said roll support in the second position of said gate member, said gate member thereafter returning to its first position in order to restrain accidental displacement of said roll from said roll support, a driven roller, means including said driven roller for unwinding said material from said roll by pulling upon the web thereof, a moving belt, and means for directing said roll against said moving belt in the event it is pulled from said roll support by said unwinding means, whereby said moving belt rotates said roll in the unwinding direction in order to restore said roll to said roll support.

12. In a machine for unwinding a roll of textile material, a gate member including a roll receiving trough portion and a web smoothing surface, said gate being biased to a first position and movable to a second position, a roll support, a roll receiving opening in said machine through which a roll of textile material is inserted and placed upon the trough portion of said gate member, the weight of said roll being such that said gate is moved from its first to its second position against said bias, said roll being rolled from the trough portion of said gate member to said roll support in the second position of said gate so that said gate returns to its first position, means for rotating said roll in said roll support by pulling the outer web of the material from said roll over said web smoothing surface of said gate member, a moving belt, and means including said web smoothing surface of said gate member for directing said roll against said moving belt in the event a portion of the outer web of said roll is stuck to the next adjacent layer of said roll and said roll is thereby pulled from said roll support by said unwinding means, said moving belt thereupon rotating said roll in said unwinding direction so that the joint action of the pull on the outer web of said roll and the rotation of said roll by said moving belt breaks said stuck outer web away from said adjacent layer and restores said roll to said roll support.

PAUL W. JESPERSEN.

No references cited. 

